Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-09
The President aud the Grand Army

fhn President withdrawing ms accept
ance of the invitation to visit 81. Louis
during the encampment there OF the
Grand Army OF the Republic is calcu.
lated TO make that organization ashamed
of the conduct of some OF us con-
spicuous members. While he speaks
OF the organization with the utmost re-
spect. and refuses to believe that 1t IS
responsible for the unworthy utterances
that bayo induced him to reconsider
his intention of visiting st. Louis. 1t Is
TO be feared that the entire mcldens
Will tend TO lower the Grand Army IN
the esteem and respect of the country
ct large. 1t will not hurt the Presl.
dent, but there is danger that 1t Will
hurt an organization made mp Of
veterans whom the people have every
reason to honor and every desire to
honor. q,
The reasons given by Mr.. Cleveland
for Withdrawing his acceptance are
worthy of his character and his Office.
They are in no respect personal, and
give no indication of feeling OF re-
sentiment on his part. His regret IS
natural and unaffected, but evidently
not due to any intended slight or in
.ult TO himself. He looks beyond and
aloyo that. He was unwilling to OK
rose the dignity of the office which he
bears as sacred trust from the people.
He was unwilling TO be the occa-
sion for anything that would mar the
harmony and good feeling Of the
Grand Army meeting or to stand IN the
way of free expression Of any sentl-
mont that might there DO represented,
and above all he hoped that the first
meeting of that organization IN a
southern State might serve to promote
." the fraternal feeling fast gaining
glound throughout the entire land and
hailed by every patriotic citizen as all
earnest that the Union has really and
in fact been saved in sentiment and in
spirit, with all benefits it vouchsaies
to u united people, and with that re-
suit he was anxious not TO Interfere.
in so far as the Presidents letter does
honor to his patriotism and his Judg-
ment. its occasion does dishonor to
those who are responsible for 1t.
Their motives were not patriotic or
worthy of veterans whose chief glory Is
that they fought for the preservation
Of tho Union, and who should be fore
NEST among those who desire to make
that Union perfect The source OF the
conduct and public uttorances OF such
men as General Fairchild, Governor
Foraker, and General futile, an /
of those of less consequence whom
they have stirred to needless
words and foolish action, is not
far to seek. The Grand Army
of the Republic is a non-partlsan
organization and its constitution for
lids it to mingle in politics. A barge
majority of its members are Repubh-
cans, snd as a natural consequence
ncst of those high in its councils,
especially in the West, where party
telling is strong, belong to that party.
Z 5 the President is Democrat, and rs
a new presidential contest IS coming on
next year, the prominent politicians IN
the organization were under strong
temptation To- try to swing 1t against
the Administration. Some OF them
being more politicians than patriots.
and not gifted with great sagaclty, have
plainly yielded to that temptation;
The veto of the dependent-pension bill
under a solemn sense Of duty fur
nished the occasion or the pretext for
the effort to turn the veterans against
the Fresidont. The motives appealed
to were the most selfish under which
men act, AMI the instigation FOR the APP
neal TO these motives came from the
pension agents at Washington, the
most rapacious ard unscrupuIous OF the
men who besct the public Treasury.
But the country sustained tue PresI-
dent in vetoing the dependent pension
bill. ard it will sustain him against the
attacks of pseudo-pltriots IN and out OF
the Grand Army Of the Republic. II
that organization permits itself to be
dragged into politics by such men as
Ielrchild and Foraker and futile 1t Will
he falal to the purpose for which 1t was
formed. 1t will breed dlssenslon, Ill
vision. end discord, and the no.
lie organization will 90 to pieces,
while tie Republican party Will
be injured and not helped by
its fate. Tie country has advanced
far toward peace, harmony, and COOL
feeling, and the people will resent any
effort to impede itS progress IN that d.
recticn. 1t is to be hoped that the
events of the last few weeks vii! have
a SOLDERING eject upon those veterans
whom politicians have been trying to
stir up to renewed strife and that they
will save their own patriotic organlza-
tion from the secession and disunlon
Which these efforts are calculated to
rroIucp